1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a device for supplementing the information on an animal identification tag and more particularly to a combination device for providing information about an animal comprising a relatively permanent animal information tag, such as an ear tag or ankle tag, and a supplemental information member that is attached reversibly or removably to the relatively permanent animal information tag.
2. Prior Art
The use of tags for the purposes of tracking animals (typically livestock such as cows, sheep, and pigs) is a prevalent practice in the United States and abroad. The tagging practice helps livestock holders identify both the ownership of the livestock and whether the livestock has been treated with antibiotics and growth hormones. As such, tags play a vital role in the meat producing industry.
Not surprisingly, the prior art discloses an array of such tags, the most common of which appear to be ear tags. U.S. Pat. No. 3,826,030 to Read discloses an ear tag that can have two tabs each having multiple indicia. U.S. Pat. No. 3,388,492 to Nichols discloses an ear tag having a flat surface for a first indicia and a second indicia that can be snapped into a hole in the flat surface. U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,834 to Zatkos discloses a locking ear tag with a relatively simple structure. U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,830 to Doble discloses an ear tag comprising numbers, pins, notches, slots and other devices to show information. U.S. Pat. No. 6,055,752 to Ritchey discloses an ear tag with a hollow interior for storing articles. Thus, the idea of an ear tag with one or more indicia is known in the art.
Tags are generally placed onto the respective animal early in the animal's life. In many cases, as the tags connote ownership, the tags are placed on the animals as soon as the animal is under the control of the owner. And as some information is not available at the time the tag is placed on the animal, the information on the tag may not reflect the actual status of the animal. Additionally, as hormones or antibiotics are given subsequently and over time, this information may not be reflected on the tag. As a result, the tags may not always provide the most current and acurate information regarding the animal.
Further complicating the matter is that many prior art tags are generally (and purposely) difficult to remove. In fact, in many situations, the ear tags are removed with the use of pliers and the like. Thus, time and patience are required to remove an animal tag, which is not always convenient, especially if the tag needs to be updated or modified with more current information. Further, information about specific animals often is maintained on a computer database. However, a common worker typically is not able to revert to a computer to determine information about the animal on a timely basis. Thus, having as much information as possible in a readily discernable format on or attached to the animal would speed up the process of ascertaining the information about the specific animal.
Accordingly, there is a need for a device that can be used to modify the tags, or the information on tags, that are already in place on an animal. There is also a need for the ability to provide as much information about an animal as possible, but in a readily discernable manner. There is also a need for a supplemental device to be able to be placed easily on the permanent tag. There is also a need for such a device that can be removed, modified or changed easily to reflect the modified or changed information or status. There is also a need for a combination device comprising a relatively permanent animal information tag, such as those known in the art, and a removable or replaceable supplemental information member that can be attached to the relatively permanent animal information tag, so as to create a readily modifiable animal information system. It is to these and other needs that the present invention is directed.